Comments on: Where did the Holy Spirit go? http://www.steveaddison.net/2007/04/09/where-did-the-holy-spirit-go.html Steve Addison's blog about movements for the renewal and expansion of the church. Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:49:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Celtic Son http://www.steveaddison.net/2007/04/09/where-did-the-holy-spirit-go.html#comment-41004 Celtic Son Wed, 11 Apr 2007 04:06:17 +0000 http://www.steveaddison.net/2007/04/09/where-did-the-holy-spirit-go.html#comment-41004 Steve, I'd suggest one significant factor is that the church in the West has uncritically embraced the development of the dominant educational model, with its priority of information, logic and "fact" over emotion, intuition and creativity. This has relegated aspects of creativity, emotion etc to that which is sub-normal; activities engaging with aspects that cannot be rationally explained are games for the inferior intellect. It seems that much of the influence of the Spirit historically has been precisely in areas that defy logical definition and embrace emotion and creative aspects. The modernist approach has been to develop a ministry mindset based on logic and call it apologetics, rather than embrace the supernatural that we see in the early church and risk being accused of being emotional or irrational. As you note, even Pentecostal movements have limited a supernatural aspect as they seek mainstream status and influence. One consequence has been the rapid development of other approaches to embrace the supernatural - New Age religions, therapies and seers. Faith is by definition neither logical or natural, and a post-modern appreciation could present great opportunities to engage with the Spirit of God, applying discernment of course, in whatever ways the Spirit chooses. Could the incarnational/missional/emerging church be facilitators of a new move of the Spirit... ?? Slainte A Celtic Son Steve,

I’d suggest one significant factor is that the church in the West has uncritically embraced the development of the dominant educational model, with its priority of information, logic and “fact” over emotion, intuition and creativity. This has relegated aspects of creativity, emotion etc to that which is sub-normal; activities engaging with aspects that cannot be rationally explained are games for the inferior intellect. It seems that much of the influence of the Spirit historically has been precisely in areas that defy logical definition and embrace emotion and creative aspects. The modernist approach has been to develop a ministry mindset based on logic and call it apologetics, rather than embrace the supernatural that we see in the early church and risk being accused of being emotional or irrational. As you note, even Pentecostal movements have limited a supernatural aspect as they seek mainstream status and influence.

One consequence has been the rapid development of other approaches to embrace the supernatural – New Age religions, therapies and seers. Faith is by definition neither logical or natural, and a post-modern appreciation could present great opportunities to engage with the Spirit of God, applying discernment of course, in whatever ways the Spirit chooses. Could the incarnational/missional/emerging church be facilitators of a new move of the Spirit… ??

Slainte

A Celtic Son

]]> By: Steve http://www.steveaddison.net/2007/04/09/where-did-the-holy-spirit-go.html#comment-40965 Steve Tue, 10 Apr 2007 09:24:15 +0000 http://www.steveaddison.net/2007/04/09/where-did-the-holy-spirit-go.html#comment-40965 Rick, great to hear from you. I've followed the progress of New Frontiers since the early 90s when I visited Brighton in the UK. Glad to see the movement growing in the US and here in Australia. Rick, great to hear from you. I’ve followed the progress of New Frontiers since the early 90s when I visited Brighton in the UK. Glad to see the movement growing in the US and here in Australia.

]]> By: Rick Hein http://www.steveaddison.net/2007/04/09/where-did-the-holy-spirit-go.html#comment-40953 Rick Hein Tue, 10 Apr 2007 03:25:16 +0000 http://www.steveaddison.net/2007/04/09/where-did-the-holy-spirit-go.html#comment-40953 Great question! I think by and large the church in America has neglected the Spirit in its practical application of its theology. I am a part of a family of churches that is not only "word-based" but "Spirit-based" as well. We are seeing things happen in our meetings that only the Spirit of God can do such as people being healed of disease and depression just to name a few. Keep going forward in your search for a greater experience of the Spirit. This is something God desires for all His children. Great question! I think by and large the church in America has neglected the Spirit in its practical application of its theology. I am a part of a family of churches that is not only “word-based” but “Spirit-based” as well. We are seeing things happen in our meetings that only the Spirit of God can do such as people being healed of disease and depression just to name a few. Keep going forward in your search for a greater experience of the Spirit. This is something God desires for all His children.

]]> By: Steve http://www.steveaddison.net/2007/04/09/where-did-the-holy-spirit-go.html#comment-40938 Steve Mon, 09 Apr 2007 21:41:20 +0000 http://www.steveaddison.net/2007/04/09/where-did-the-holy-spirit-go.html#comment-40938 thanks thanks

]]> By: Matt Glover http://www.steveaddison.net/2007/04/09/where-did-the-holy-spirit-go.html#comment-40910 Matt Glover Mon, 09 Apr 2007 07:35:24 +0000 http://www.steveaddison.net/2007/04/09/where-did-the-holy-spirit-go.html#comment-40910 Where did the Holy SPirit go? It was right there all along..;) Anyway, don't forget to check out Jurgen Moltmann's "The Source of Life" or the longer version "The Spirit of Life". He has also written "The Church in the Power of the Spirit." All fantastic, but as it's translated from German to English, it can be hard going. The first one I mentioned is shorter and definately the place to start. Changed my view of the HS completely. Where did the Holy SPirit go? It was right there all along..;)

Anyway, don’t forget to check out Jurgen Moltmann’s “The Source of Life” or the longer version “The Spirit of Life”. He has also written “The Church in the Power of the Spirit.”

All fantastic, but as it’s translated from German to English, it can be hard going. The first one I mentioned is shorter and definately the place to start. Changed my view of the HS completely.

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